Copper-based transmission systems have long been used for the delivery of voice, video and data services to subscribers. For example, multi-service operators (MSOs) may provide video, data, and voice services utilizing copper coaxial cables and/or twisted pairs. However, MSOs are now more likely to deploy optical fiber to the premises (FTTP) or fiber to the home (FTTH) systems to support video, data and voice services. Although it is desirable to upgrade to optical fiber, some MSOs may choose to not immediately upgrade central office (CO) equipment and customer premises equipment (CPE) designed for radio frequency (RF) communication over cable. Instead, an MSO may provide a micronode that operates as a media converter to convert downstream light signals to RF signals and convert upstream RF signals to light signals. The resulting system may be referred to as an RFOG network. A micronode may be viewed as a transition technology that allows an MSO to upgrade its outside plant from copper to fiber optics without upgrading CO equipment and CPE.
For example, the CO equipment may provide a cable video headend that provides video to subscribers. Although optical fiber is utilized to transmit the video, the video headend may still operate according to the data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS). DOCSIS defines the communication and operation support interface requirements for a data over cable system. DOCSIS also permits the addition of high speed transmission of data and voice over the coaxial cable. For example, the CO equipment may include a cable modem termination system (CMTS) to support communication with cable modems within subscriber premises. In this manner, the MSO may provide data and voice services to subscribers via the CMTS of the CO equipment. A micronode may allow an MSO to upgrade its outside plant from copper to optical fiber without forcing the MSO to upgrade its CO equipment and CPE.